New Year
by ArtemisApollo97
Summary: (Follow-up to that Mistletoe one-shot) Leo Valdez hasn't seen Louisa for two weeks and it's really not going well. He may as well have dug his own grave. But, as they say, the new year brings new hope. Right? (some swearing)


**A rather late follow-up to the** _ **Mistletoe**_ **one-shot. Again, I own nothing.**

 **Happy New Year everyone!**

* * *

"Dude, get it together. It's been, what, two weeks?" Jason patted Leo's shoulder. His elfish friend could only mumble and nod, head in hands. "Just go and talk to her. Look, she's there." He pointed. Leo didn't even look, shifting backwards until he was hiding behind Jason's legs. The blond sighed. "You're being very toddler-ish for a love-struck teen."

"I'm not love-struck. I'm terrified."

"It's _Lou_."

"Exactly." Leo plonked his head on Jason's calf. "Just kill me now." A burst of swearing cut off whatever Jason was going to say. There was a thud and then panicked yelling. Leo peered round Jason's leg worriedly. Louisa was having another dispute with an Ares child, barely taller than their elbow. She probably weighed as much as the boy's arm, but that didn't deter her. "What now?" Jason took a step forward. Leo panicked and grabbed the closest leg. Jason flailed and went down. "You're my bodyguard, you're not leaving! Also, are you OK? You're my bodyguard, you need to be OK."

"Peachy." Jason muttered, spitting out grass. He managed to get his leg free, frowning at Leo. "She's your best friend."

"That doesn't make her any less scary." Leo's gaze slid past his friend and he put his head down. Jason looked round. Percy was getting between his sister and her latest quarrel. Jason could never figure out which twin scared Leo, but he knew both of them was a definite no-no.

It took a minute, but Percy eventually directed his sister away. He saw Jason and Leo still sat on the ground. Jason waved. Percy gave him a quick nod, glared at Leo and marched Louisa back to Cabin Three. Jason looked at Leo. "Oh, don't. I know, OK? I know I'm being a major chicken, but I _can't_. If you keep looking at me like that, I'm going to add some burns to that stupid scar of yours."

"No need to get violent." Jason shook his head. "Send her some flowers or something."

"Tried that. She weaved them into a very rude hand gesture and left them on my bed."

"See, now I'm thinking that's Lou's way of saying have some backbone."

"Or Lou's way of saying unmentionable things that are physically impossible."

"You don't know t-" Jason began. Leo's expression soured defiantly. "OK, fine. You know Lou better than the rest of us, so yeah. Let's just say that, even though she kissed you in front of the _entire_ camp, she wants absolutely _nothing_ to do with. Don't like that, do you?"

"True though."

"He's not still sulking, is he?" Piper quizzed, plopping herself down next to Jason. "Leo, go talk to her. You've ignored her for two weeks."

"I haven't _ignored_ her." Leo countered. Piper pressed her lips together. "I've avoided her, there's a difference. It's not a big difference, but there's a difference all the same. I can't go and _talk_ to her. She'll skin me alive and hang my head on her wall!"

"Isn't that why you liked her in the first place?"

"Yeah, but it was _your_ head in question. My head is a bit more precious." Leo glared at his hands. Piper and Jason exchanged bemused glances. "What are the chances of my moving to another country?" Piper tutted. She was on her feet in a heartbeat. Leo yelped at her iron grip, instinctively pulling away. Piper yanked him up regardless. "Jason. Jason, help me! Jason, she's your girlfriend, stop her. She's gone savage!" Leo looked pleadingly at his friend. Jason hunched his shoulders. "Damn your soul, Jason Grace. I will haunt you until your dying days and I will haunt you in the afterlife!"

"Oh please." Piper scoffed. "If anyone is going to haunt that idiot, it's me. Now get a move on, I'm a busy woman."

"You don't _do_ anything to _be_ busy." Leo remarked sulkily. Piper cut him a cold look. Leo fumed silently. "If Percy's there as well, I'm as good as dead. You know that, don't you?" She ignored him. "You're not invited to my funeral." Leo proceeded to grumble, dragging his feet. He had learnt that Piper and Hazel had spent too much time around the likes of Annabeth and Louisa and vice-a-versa.

Piper hopped neatly up the steps to Cabin Three, knocking smartly on the door. She called out for Percy in a sing-song voice- "it's your favourite very distant cousin!" She beamed. "At least I think it's cousin! And I've got your step-second-cousin here too!"

"Step-second-cousin?" Percy asked through the door. Piper waited. Percy's curiosity got the better of him and he cracked the door open. "No, don't want him."

"Well, he's with me."

"Don't want you then."

"I'll get Annabeth." Piper warned. Percy ran a hand over his jawline, debating quietly with himself. "Percy, I would say I can stand here all day, but I've got things to do. I'm actually on break and I'm sorting Leoisa out."

"Leoisa is not a thing." Percy said irritably. He tried closing the door. Piper already had her foot in the way.

"Not yet it isn't. Now step aside. I have a plan and you're not getting in the way. Louisa!" She bellowed. "Don't you dare go into that water!" Leo suddenly had the urge to move to a land-locked country. The look on Percy's face brought him back to reality, making him stand the other side to Piper. Louisa stood at the end of the small dock out the back door. Her glower rivalled her brother's. "You can stomp your feet and hold your breath all you like. Leo has something to say." Piper shoved Leo outside and, with a cheeky grin, slammed the back door shut. Leo could hear her badgering Percy, but he had bigger worries.

"I was looking for the bathroom." He said, barely audible.

"Ya lookin' for a kick in the teeth, Valdez. What the heck d'ya want?"

"I, um… well, I… you, um… there was- it was Piper's- take Jason's head, you can have Jason's head, mine is too nice to go on a wall!" He clamped his hands over his throat protectively. Her furious look had dwindled into one of complete bewilderment. "I'm not off to a good start, am I?" She pursed her lips, giving a slow shake of the head. "H-how about I come back another day, you… you don't look in the mood to be dealing with, uh, with me, so uh… yeah, bye." He swivelled on his heel.

"Hold it, Valdez." She ordered. Leo choked as she grabbed him roughly by the scruff of his shirt. Louisa tugged him back. He was suddenly face-to-face with her. A red-hot glow creeped up his face. "I ain't seen ya in forever, ya ain't bailin' on me now. Did Piper drag ya here or did ya actually have somethin' ta say?"

"Piper dragged me here." He murmured. Her face didn't change, but something in her eyes did. Leo didn't hear her next words, trying to figure out what the sudden variation was. It was almost like she was… disappointed.

Nope, angry. She was angry. "Are you even listenin'?" She snapped.

"I was- I am now. Sorry. I- what?" He smiled sheepishly. She groaned in annoyance, pushing her fingers into her forehead like she was trying to pinch her brain. "Sorry." Leo said again. "You know I'm no good with this… talking, organic life form business, what?" Green eyes flashed dangerously between her fingers. Leo put a hand over his mouth, determined to stay quiet until she had said her piece.

"No." She finally said, shaking her head. "I ain't gonna say it again. Ya missed it, it's ya own fault," she kept shaking her head, turning away from him to go back to the sea, "see ya in the New Year, Valdez."

"Now, hold on a second!" Leo protested, running forward. He attempted grabbing her wrist and missed, overbalancing. He toppled and they both landed in the water. Louisa kicked away, bending the water around her to escape. Leo paddled uselessly, caught in the backwash of her powers. Instead of going up, he was going down.

The water was working against him. Something about it felt colder, he _felt_ cold. The more he struggled to go up, the further away sunlight seemed.

And then she was back. Louisa was there. Her hand touched his cheek and the water receded. A bubble formed around them. Leo inhaled sharply, breathing heavily. "Wh-?"

"Dad." She said grumpily. "He must have picked up on how much of a twat you are."

"You're the twat." He countered feebly, still trying to catch his breath. "So, what did you say?"

"It don't matter."

"Yeah it does. I want to know." Leo insisted. She shook her head. "Please tell me? I asked nicely." He added. "Please, please, please-please-please-please-please-please-I can do this all day- please-please-plea-" Her hand shot out and he nearly fell out the bubble. "Mmph!" He protested behind her palm.

"Will you shush? I hate havin' ta say stuff twice!" She huffed irritably. Leo tried for an apologetic look, but that wasn't easy with half his face squished in her hand. "Even though you were bein' more a twat than usual, I asked ya ta go ta the fireworks with me." Leo did a double-take at this. "I know, it surprised me too. It's ya own stupid fault though. Ya wouldn't leave me alone with that gods-forsaken mistletoe 'n' then ya don't talk ta me for, like, _ever_ , which only pissed me off more, so if ya didn't keep disappearin' every time I got within fifty feet of ya, I'd have kicked ya head in a long time ago 'n' now I'm actually tryin' ta do somethin' nice ta make up for _your_ pig-headed behaviour 'n' ya _still_ don't pay attention! Leo, you're my best friend 'n' I seriously thought I screwed up with that mistletoe crap- I still blame you for that- I just want ta go back ta blowin' shit up 'n' terrorizin' Frank 'n' all the good old stuff. I didn't mean anythin' by that, I just wanted ta shut ya up."

Her hand had come away at some point. Leo didn't notice, not even when his face stopped hurting as much. His chest hurt instead, like someone was sticking white-hot pokers through each rib. That didn't make any sense, he didn't burn, but this must have been what it felt like. She wouldn't look him in the eye, babbling some more, something akin to a Louisa-apology, a very long-winded and confusing explanation, quite a few repeats and insistences that the mistletoe incident was purely to shut him up.

Even though it had been a fortnight since they had spoken, Leo had one thought playing over and over in his head- maybe that kiss had meant something, maybe she was taking the time to realise what she had done, maybe her highly buried feelings for him were starting to seep through, rising slowly to the surface like bubbles in a lava lamp.

Now, the more she went on, the less convinced he was. The pain in his chest was getting so hot, it felt cold. Another thing that didn't make sense.

"I'd love to go to the fireworks with you." He found himself saying. Louisa stopped mid-sentence and stared at him. "Hey." He hunched his shoulders. "It's not as fun throwing gooey marshmallows at people on my own. I need my partner-in-crime."

"You ain't mad?"

"Nah." Leo waved it off. "I'm mostly to blame. And so is Katie from the Demeter cabin. She grew the mistletoe for me. I never realised how quickly those guys can make plants grow. Even though I know they manage the strawberry fields, it never really clicked…" He made a face. "Anyway, can we go up now? As much as the sea is, well, the sea and very nice and oceany, I would like fresh air and to make sure Piper is OK. She was taking on Percy when we went under.""

"Poor Percy." Louisa snickered. "I've got ta see that." She waved her hands and the bubble rose. Leo breathed in a deep, lungful of sea-scented air the second he could and sighed. Louisa splashed him and laughed, splashing him some more on the way to the dock. "I'll come 'n' get ya before the fireworks! Wear somethin' nice!" Leo spat a mouthful of water out and waved. Louisa disappeared inside. Piper charged out seconds later and cannonballed in.

"You did it!"

"I did it!" Leo cheered. "I got my best friend back! Yay…"

"What? No, hold on! What happened to Leoisa?" Piper demanded, grabbing Leo by the shoulders. "Don't make me drown you, tell me what-" Leo didn't let her finish, launching into the repeat of their bubbly conversation. Piper looked less and less happy the more he talked. "She invited me to the fireworks though. And told me to wear something nice. That's got to count for something, right?"

"Yes, but she wants to get your _friendship_ back on track. Not Leoisa! Dammit, Leo, you had one job!" She smacked her hands down and water engulfed him. Leo resurfaced, spluttering and spewing sea water.

"So, I'm guessing your talk with Percy was a complete success?"

"No, he still doesn't like Leoisa."

"Dammit, Piper, you had one job!"

"Hey, I'm on your side here!"

"If you don't kill me, Lou doesn't kill, Percy definitely will."

"He'll have to get through me and, therefore, Annabeth too."

"Ooh, he's not going to like that." Leo brightened slightly.

"I, unlike you, have back-up."

"I thought you _were_ my back-up? Does that make Annabeth my back-back-up?"

"Stop asking stupid questions and start swimming. We have to get you ready!"

"I was thinking I could put flowers in my hair, maybe a braid or two… Don't take me up on that by the way, I have a reputation to uphold." Piper blinked at him. Then she was laughing. And couldn't stop. Leo shoved water over her and started swimming.

* * *

"I feel stupid."

"You are stupid."

"That's not helping." Leo grumbled. Piper had pulled in Annabeth and Hazel and all three of them were standing there, judging him. Annabeth stepped forward and messed his hair up again, tugging on a particular curl to make it lie on his forehead. They had managed to find some mostly clean clothes of his, just a regular Camp shirt and some jeans that were more jeans than dirt.

"Honestly, don't you know how to work a washing machine?" Hazel had asked. Leo had gotten a slap when he asked if she did. Now, Hazel was twisting an emerald and a sapphire in her fingers, like two stress balls. She was examining Leo like he was some of her finest work, but with the air of something missing. "He looks weird. And don't say because he is weird. I mean… something seems a bit off. I just can't put my finger on it."

"You've been saying that for a while though." Annabeth reminded her. "Hazel thinks you look weird without Lou somewhere close to hand."

"I feel weird without Lou close by."

"Aww!" Piper and Hazel cooed. Annabeth smiled, rolling her eyes all the same. Leo's face felt hot and he told them to go away, rather rudely and in Spanish. He felt safer in Spanish. "No, he's all set. We've done what we could. Leo, don't hold them like that, they're meant to be nice when you give them to her." Leo righted the bouquet. He knew Louisa wasn't a big fan of flowers, but Annabeth had insisted. She had convinced Katie to grow him some sunflowers, considering she had grown the mistletoe that started all this.

"There she is!" Hazel pointed. Leo looked round, seeing Louisa coming down the hill with her brother. Annabeth ran towards them, but the other two had disappeared.

"Seaweed Brain!" Annabeth called, bouncing up to him. Percy smiled upon seeing her, holding out his arm. Louisa immediately 'barfed' and made her excuses, hurrying down the slope. Leo hid the flowers behind his back. Annabeth was making sure Percy was well and truly out of the way and oblivious. Leo was meant to feel reassured by that, but his heart still felt like it was duct-taped to a jack-hammer going crazy during an earthquake in a hurricane. Will had told him he wasn't having a heart attack, but Leo wasn't convinced.

"Lou!" He called, surprised to hear his voice sounded normal. Louisa didn't see him at first, frowning at the crowd of demigods. Leo pushed forward, waving and calling again. She grinned when she spotted him.

"Valdez! Hey, I told ya to wear somethin' nice."

"This is the closest you're going to get. Believe me, I tried."

"Pfft, sure. What've ya got behind ya back?"

"Um… look, I know they're stupid, but-"

"Sunflowers!" She beamed. Leo stared at her, but she was more interested in the flowers. "I love sunflowers!"

"Uh, you… y-you do?" She nodded eagerly and then sneezed. Leo felt a laugh tickle the back of his throat. "Are you allergic?"

"Only to you." She sniffed, wiping her nose on her hand. Leo pulled some tissues from his belt. And then some antihistamines when she sneezed again. "Ugh, hold them." He got the flowers back, feeling the giggles coming on as he produced a bottle of water as well. "Right, I'm OK now."

"Sure?" He quizzed bemusedly. She threw her hand out, grabbing at the air. Leo passed the bouquet back, deciding to keep a close eye on her. "You're a strange one."

"What was ya first clue?"

"The fact you like something that's bad for you." He nodded at the flowers. Louisa shoved the petals in his face and then sneezed again. Leo decided to push the proverbial boat out a bit more, test the waters- "Is that why you like me so much?"

"Beg ya pardon?"

"You know," he grinned cheekily, "Bad Boy Supreme and all."

"The only thing bad 'bout you is ya smell 'n' an ego that never seems to stop growin', good gods, Valdez, get a grip."

"OK." And he gripped her free hand. "I'm going to use a technicality on this one; you can't kill me."

"Says who?"

"Me. I have my grip. And I have your grip too. See?" He held up their hands. Louisa tried wiggling her fingers, blowing a raspberry when she couldn't. Leo tipped his head to one side to examine her watch. "Any minute now…"

"Valdez, I'm gettin' numb fingers." He let go, giving her a moment to work feeling back into her hand. She stiffened a second later, casting furtive looks at those around them. People suddenly seemed busy with their beach blankets or food or talking about how nice the weather had been. "Let's go up there." She said, pointing to the top of the hill. Leo went along with this, feeling very conscious. Demigods started muttering behind them. Louisa was pointedly singing Thirty Seconds To Mars under her breath. Leo tried to recall one of his earlier blueprints, repeating all his ideas for it over and over until they reached the hilltop, away from everyone else, out of ear-shot, nothing to say or hear that could be potentially incriminating. Louisa sneezed again the second they sat down.

"Like a little kitten."

"I will break you."

"Please don't. I just got my best friend back."

"It's ya own damn fault. Ooh, look." She pointed. The first of the fireworks were splattering the night sky. People down below cheered as Hercules kicked the Nemean Lion in the face. Leo bowed his head to examine the glow-in-the-dark hands on her watch. "Valdez, ya missin' it. Go Dad!" She whooped. Poseidon's image glittered across the sky, raising his trident. Leo felt his heart skip a bit, sure the god's eyes were on him.

And then Zeus's sparkly picture appeared and they started slapping at each other. That display dissolved and the next scene whistled into the sky. The Argo II sprang to life, Festus billowing flames. Sparklers flared to life on the barge hosting the fireworks.

"Hold on, that spells Lou."

"Yeah, that was my idea."

"You- that was my ship! And my dragon!"

"Yes. I know. I asked them to do it."

"Wh- really?" Leo grinned and hugged her tightly. "My ship in the fireworks display! That's so cool!" Louisa laughed, patting his arm. He caught another glimpse of her watch. Splashes of colour rippled across the glass as Medusa's head snarled at them, snakes unfurling and hissing.

A few more monsters and heroes exploded in the night sky. Leo realised Louisa was shivering by this point. With a little concentration, he felt himself warm up. She sighed and he felt her shoulders relax under his arm. When centaurs galloped through the stars, firing arrows that exploded into a million sparkles. Some of these formed the number ten.

"What?" Louisa puzzled.

"New Year countdown." Leo said, suddenly very aware he was still hugging her. He should probably let go, he knew he should have let go when nine, eight and seven hit the skies, but his arms didn't want to, they weren't moving. Traitors.

Six, five, four-

 _Oh gods oh gods oh gods_

Three, two-

 _Ohgodsohgodsohgodsohgods_

"One!" Louisa beamed. "Happ- mmph!"

 _Dead_! Leo's mind screamed at him. _Worth it, but dead_! _DEAD_! _What are you doing, stop kissing her, she's going to kill you_!

 _Can't_ , a small voice replied, _can't can't can't, don't want to_.

Leo only pulled away to breathe. Louisa's eyes were closed, computing this. _Run_ , the sensible portion of his mind said, _RUN WHILE YOU CAN_!

 _No, don't run, this could be good._

 _Good, yeah. OR DEATH._

 _No, I'm feeling positive._

 _NEGATIVE. DEATH, WE'RE GOING TO DIE, THIS IS IT, the sunflowers are squished, WE ARE DEAD. D-E-D, DEAD. Hasn't 'dead' got an 'a' in it?_

"Happy New Year, Lou." Leo croaked.

"'Kay." She mumbled, eyes still shut. The jack-hammer-earthquake-hurricane feeling was back, making his stomach flip about too. He thought he was going to be sick, but he didn't want that to be the first thing she saw when- if?- she opened her eyes.

No, when. They were open now. "Was that payback?" She asked. Leo blinked at her. "Is that 'cos I got ya with the mistletoe? Did ya get me with the New Year?"

"Um… yeah. Yeah, payback. In your face." He bopped her gently on the nose with his finger. Music blasted out across the beach, demigods cheering and jumping up everywhere, ready for the party, celebrating the New Year. Leo didn't feel like partying. He felt like his New Year had gone sour already, it hadn't even been a minute and he had already messed it up.

"Well…" She kissed his cheek. "I don't like losin'. Happy New Year, Valdez."


End file.
